Daniel d



(No Model.)

D. D. TRACY. Indicator forPianos and Organs.

Patented June 29,1880.

cum.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL D. TRACY, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

INDICATOR FOR PlANOS AND ORGANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,287, dated June 29, 1880.

Application filed March 15, 1880. (No model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, DANIEL D. TRACY, of Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicators for Pianos and Organs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved means for teaching persons having no knowledge of music to readily play chords and accompaniments upon the piano or organ and it consists of a grooved ornamental frame, designed to be attached to the face-board of a piano or organ over the keys, said frame being provided with a sliding plate fitting within the grooved portion, and having vertical spaces marked there on to correspond with the width of the keys of the piano or organ, said spaces being divided into horizontal colored sections, all as will he hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my improvement as applied to the face-board of a piano. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line at a; of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference occurring on the several figures indicate like parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the ornamental frame,'which is adapted to be ap plied to the face-board B of the piano by screws av at each end, as shown, said frame being constructed of wood, metal, or other suitable ma terial, having a longitudinal opening, (J, upon the front thereof, and provided at the upper and lower parts with grooves b, as shown in Fig. 2.

D represents the indicator-plate, having bevel-edges adapted to fit within the grooves b in the frame A, as shown, said plate having vertical spaces 0 marked thereon to correspond to the width of the piano or organ keys, and said spaces 0 being divided into sections (1, of different colors, and marked 1 Z 3, respect ively, as shown in Fig. 1.

The construction of my invention being as described, it will be observed that in the operation of the same the plate D is moved in the grooves I) until the vertical space marked l comes directly over the key-notct'or example,U natural. Now, with the left-hand thumb first strike down the piano-key under space 1. Then with the right hand strike all the keys together under spaces marked 1 1 1. This is repeated, say, four times. Then change in like manner to the keys under spaces marked 2%? 2 2; then in same manner to the keys under spaces marked 3 3* 25 3, and back again to l 1 1 1, and so on, according to the chord or accompaniment to be played.

By moving the sliding plate 1) in the frame A it can be adapted to any key in the same manner as to the key 0 natural, as already described.

The advantages of my invention will be readily apparent. without a more minute or detailed description, inasmuch as it combines in its construction and operation a high degree of utility and simplicity with a ready adaptation to the purpose contemplated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is- The herein-described indicator for pianos and organs, consisting of the frame A, having a longitudinal opening, G, in the front thereof, said opening having grooves b 1), adapted to receive the sliding plate I), which is divided into the vertical spaces and sections, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

in testimony that- 1 claim the foregoing as my own invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL D. TRACY.

Witnesses:

J. A. McMANUs, UICERO E. Lone. 

